Morbid Angel’s David Vincent on Their New Album — Exclusive Interview

Morbid Angel bassist-vocalist David Vincent was innocently enjoying some outdoor activities with his family when Noisecreep tracked him down to talk about 'Illud Divinum Insanus,' which marks the band's return to recording in the studio for the first time since 1995's 'Domination.' "The sun is shining and it's beautiful," he said. "Perfect weather for talking about a death metal record!"

"It's awesome, absolutely awesome," Vincent said about the new album. "I just want the damn thing out, but it's hurry up and wait. That's the story of the business. I wish it was out immediately. We are doing special packaging for it, and that doesn't help my anxiety of wanting to get it out."

Morbid Angel have existed since 1984, with guitarist Trey Azagthoth remaining as the bands only constant member. Vincent says that own time away from Morbid Angel only served to enrich him as a person and to diversify his contributions to the band. "The cool thing is the more time you spend on the planet, the more tricks you learn," he said. "I try and apply everything I learn to the music. I go out of my way to live a full and rich and interesting life, and those experiences add to your personality, which is what makes your art. This album is full of personality."

Vincent also feels that the death metal tag would be limiting to the band at this point. "We have grown out of the moniker of death metal," Vincent said. But before purists go calling for Vincent's head for making what could be perceived as a blasphemous statement, the band hasn't gone soft or abandoned the double bass or the guttural growl. It's still extreme music for extreme people, as their old t-shirt tagline goes, and the sound is still undeniably Morbid Angel. "We call ourselves extreme music," he said. "There are too many boxes to put it in -- so many descriptors! We play extreme music and it encompasses everything from incredibly fast and articulate fretboard gymnastics to the sickest, most moaning of riffs, to the usual things we do. We take it for a twist."

Drummer Pete Sandoval is currently recuperating from a back injury, so Tim Yeung of Divine Heresy has been serving as the band's time keeper. The line-up is rounded out by Norwegian guitarist Destructhor, who has been with the band for over five years.

"We made a masterpiece," Vincent boldly declared. "I am going to call it that. There is not one bad track on this record. Of course I am going to say that, but I don't normally say such things. It is very unique and very diverse. We didn't go through the normal channels with production, so it's that's much more special because of the decisions we made."